Well, it's official, I have just published my first photo book. It's available for sale HERE. It's a small book but hey it's a start. It's a retrospective collection of my street photos of people from the start, 1989, through my most recent trip to NYC in September. Please consider buying one!

I just submitted this image to JPG magazine. If you have a free moment you could go there and vote for my image!

JPG is a very interesting magazine. Please vote!

Photo: Seattle
Camera: Leica MP

I'm still working on developing my NYC film but I do have many roll scanned and some images up on my web site . I got worried with the first batch of film I developed as I had almost an entire roll of film that was slightly forward focused, in other words soft. But, so far I am averaging 50% or better of usable images per roll; so I'm happy.

Many people have asked me why I haven't switched to digital for my black and white work (where auto focus might help). It might help although autofocus cameras are hardly foolproof. The biggest problem with digital, to date, is only a dSLR has the quality I want (and the lack of lag delay), but they are all too noisy for my way of photographing (3 to 5 feet away from the subject). Even my Mamiya 6 is a bit too noisy, I try to time the exposure with a street noise, or in the case of subway shots I took while in NYC, the noise of the brakes or doors opening.

I love this picture of the woman and her son. He was looking at me most of the time, the woman didn't notice me (I was 3 feet way) but a woman a few seats down did (which I noticed once I had the shot), and she gave me the evil eye and changed seats. That was fine, she wasn't worth a frame any ways.

I sometimes feel like one of the angles in "wings of Desire", as most kids pick up on what I'm doing (taking photos of them) but the adults are for the most part clueless. Which is a good thing.


Photos: NYC
Camera: Mamiya 6, 50mm lens, Tri-X film

Still haven't finished developing my NYC film, I'll get around to it soon. I'm off to Winthrop for a mini vacation with the family then later next week I'll get back to developing film.

Speaking of film, I had a guy in NYC come up to me and ask to buy film from me. It was the week of Sukkot and the main photo shops were closed, and even though he only wanted 35mm b&w film he was having problems. I couldn't help him because I was shooting 120 film.

Photo: Paris'07
Camera: Mamiya 6

I still have lots of darkroom work but I hate being in the darkroom during the day, especially when the weather is nice and sunny as it is in Seattle this Fall. So, I did a little scanning this afternoon, but not before a nice long fall bike ride this morning. Here's an example from Paris this summer; more coming and already on my web site.

Early this week I tried upgrading my scanner software from Vuescan to Silverfast. What a mistake that was! After testing the demo version and deciding it was better I paid the bucks and got the serial number. Problem is the serial number doesn't "stick" and I still have watermarks on the scanned images. Silverfast, I found out, has terrible customer service. They only do it by email and I'm still waiting for a response from Tuesday!!! So, it was back to Vuescan, which is a bit buggy but workable.

Photo: Paris
Camera: Mamiya 6, 50mm lens, tri-x film

In these days of the ever new digital improvement I find it rather amazing that I'm still shooting film; and quite a bit of it at that. I haven't shot color film in years but I shot a lot of black and white film, although my beloved Leica MP gets very little use even for B&W. I am, however, shooting a lot of medium format B&W film through my also beloved Mamiya 6.

Two nights ago I finally finished developing my film from Dresden, Frankfurt, and Paris projects from the summer and tonight I will start developing the 50+ rolls of tri-x from my most recent NYC trip.

I think NYC must be the best city in the world to shoot street photography. As much as I love Paris, Berlin, Los Angeles, et cetera, they just can't compete with New York as a location jam packed full of interesting people. It's also an amazingly safe city to walk about with a camera dangling about one's neck. I never felt concerned in New York, not downtown, uptown, LEV, Brooklyn, Queen. True, I didn't go this trip to The Bronx but the current NYC is nothing compared to my first NYC visit in 1984. Then, even with my M4 hidden under my coat I was fearful, I poked into shops to look at my map, I was told not to walk more than halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge, I avoided the subway when possible. Now, well, now New York is wonderful, simply the best. I think I would move there, at least for a year, if I could talk my wife into it. Well, at least I have my yearly photo trip, and perhaps with time I can increase that to twice a year.

Getting ready now for my annual fall trip to New York City. Film ordered, ironically from NYC, flight booked, and lodging, I hope will be actually there. I normally stay at a mid-town hotel but this trip I'm staying in an apartment I found on Craigslist. I do hope it is for real. As usual, I don't really have plans other than wandering the streets hoping to come across images. In NYC this doesn't seem to be a problem, such a densely packed city with such an amazing variety of people.

Photo: Los Angeles, Ca

No photo today. I have something like 50+ rolls of 120 B&W film to develop. My European adventures were great: Frankfurt, Paris, Schwäbisch Hall, Dresden, Spreewald, I got lots of photos and had some great times and although I've been back in the states for weeks now I still haven't made it into my darkroom to develop film.

This week end is the Seattle Hempfest, one of my favorite local events to photograph. I was there today, luckily while the sun was out, and I should have a hundred or more decent photos. I am in favor of most of the things the event want to promote but most of the people attending and most of the speakers don't help their cause. Clearly Pot can have an effect on the mind. It all makes for great photo taking though.

I'm planning my next photo trip, a week to New York City. I have my plane ticket, I'm working on my lodging. Where I take photos is still a work in progress; but I expect to do as last year; and simply just walk the city with my Mamiya 6 around my neck. Ready for the decisive moment.

Took photos of people today at Gas Works Park (as they waited for the fireworks to start). but I won't have time to develop them until the end of August. I simply won't have time to get into the darkroom before then.

I'm packing my bags, and bike, tonight for my trip to Europe. I'll be heading first to Frankfurt, then to Paris for street photography, then back to Germany and some bike riding around Schwäbisch Hall, and finally to Dresden to relax in the Sächsische Schweiz (great bike riding too). Rather than take my S&S-equipped road bike I'll be taking my Dahon folding city bike. Once I get to Dresden I can use my old Canondale road bike I keep there.

I seem to be too busy to make any blog entries, but I simply must! Went to the annual Solstice parade in the Fremont district of Seattle last Saturday. Here are some photos. It's always a great time, lots of naked bike riders (although now days they are pretty much dipped in paint (hardly naked). Still a great time and good photo chances.

I rode my first century (100 miles) of the year Thursday. I realized on Tuesday it would be my last chance to ride a century before I turned half a century old; which I did yesterday.

I rode my new bike, a Rivendell Romulus Cantilever. This frame was made in a small batch a few years ago and I found a new old stock in my size (61cm) at a Minneapolis bike shop. I received the frame a week ago yesterday and had the bike built up by Tuesday; so this was also a shake-down run.

I didn't have the idea for this ride until Tuesday and did little more than put air in the tires and buy some food. Other than a flat tire, a constant headwind, and some light rain I had no problems and made the ride in an acceptable 6 hours. Not as good as I had hoped for, but considering I rode every day of the week (I should have rested at least Wednesday), didn't have the greatest selection of food along (too much sugary stuff), and was riding alone, I feel happy with the results. The bike was perfect and already feels like an good friend!

The clan members met me 10 miles from my destination, the Olympic Club in Centralia (an amazing place). There we ate, drank, watched a movie, played some pool, and stayed the night. We came back to Seattle today to celebrate my birthday with friends. A nice start to the second half of my century.

Photo 1: The 'Romy' at a snack break
Photo 2: Meeting the clan members (aka: Louise & Lucas) just before my final destination
Photo 3: The Olympic Club
Photo 4: The 'Romy' at rest in our room at the Olympic Club Hotel

camera: Leica D Lux 3

Yes, it's another photo of me; sorry. But I just had to show off my newest berets. These are really big and floppy, they will make you feel like you've just stepped off the Ponte Vecchio in Renaissance days, perhaps heading to have an espresso with Michelangelo. Well, that couldn't be as the espresso machine wasn't invented yet but at any rate it's a great beret, or Boina as the Basque say. I've got them for sale Here

Had some free time last night and so I went down the street to the Sunset Tavern, in old Ballard, and saw Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by a well balanced (sound wise) hypnotic sound. I especially liked the Cello player.

Up Date: I'm still crazy about this band. I've bought the CD and now have bought a cello! Am I over the top? I don't think so. I always have liked the cello.

I highly suggest you order this cd straight away!

Camera: Leica D Lux 3

Have you ever thought of wearing a beret? One of the world's greatst head covering inventions ever. I own several berets: french, english, spainish. I love them.It is rare to see someone in France wearing a beret, they have been out of fashion there for the past 20 plus years; with the exception of the American tourist. So where is the beret still worn, or Boina as the Spainish call them, why the Spanish Basque region of course.

Which brings me to the finest beret made; which I just happen to import. I'm not getting rich importing berets, I guess it's my hobby, but sell them off my web site: HERE , and on ebay from time to time. I just received a new order and I haven't raised the price, even though they cost me more than the last order (and the dollar has fallen once again). So, splurge a bit and order one. They also make a great present as there is only one size (the headband can be stretched to fit any head).

A few months ago I made the terrible terrible mistake of pulling my 35mm Leica lens off the counter with my MP's neck strap. The lens looked fine but the focus was froze! I took it to a local German camera repair guy who, after months of dinking around says there are no new parts to be had and all the used parts he has ordered a not good enough.

So now what? A new 35mm Leica lens is over $2,100!!! My other choice is a $1,000 Japanese-made Zeiss or $300 Voightlander lens. mmm. what to do? In the mean time I'm having fun with my new little pocket camera, the Leica D Lux 3. Still back-ordered most places I've been shooting away for over a month. It's not up to 35mm standards, which means the photos I take can only be for fun, or painting ideas.

Photo: Seattle
Camera: Leica D Lux 3

Well tonight's Ballard art walk was a big success. It was unusually cold in Seattle (32 degrees f) so I was surprised to see how many people ventured out. Of course it didn't hurt that we had birthday cake on hand; not to mention beer, wine, champagne, german wieners.

I showed a more extensive display of my most recent New York City photos, as well as a few new oil paintings.

Photo: Studio Boina, Ballard
Camera: Leica D Lux 3

The New Year gets started and I have several goals: more and longer bike rides, shoot more street photography, paint more, write more.

I'm planning to head to San Fransico next month to see the start of the Tour of California, I'll also do some street photography while there. I also need to get a trip back to NYC but I'm uncertain if it will be spring or fall. Summer I'm off to Europe. I expect to fly to Brussels, visit the Eddy Merckx Bicycle works, stop off in my old haunts Paris before heading to Germany and finally Vienna and Venice.

This Saturday will be the first Ballard ArtWalk for the year and I will be open.